Clay-separating apparatus.



No. 690,082. Patented .Dee. 3|,-l90l. G. D. SNYDER.

CLAY SEPABATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Dec. 3, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNTTED STATES GEORGE D. SNYDER,

PATENT @EEICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLAY-SEPARATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 690,082, datedDecember 31, 1901. Application filed December s, 1909. strain). 38,492-(Nomodel- To to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. SNYDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Clay-Separating Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to means comprising an improved apparatus for thetreatment of kaolin or china-clay and the like, the same being intendedto wash out the clay and free it from sand, mica, and grit byacontinuous, expeditious, and efficient process.

In order that my invention may be properly understood and explained indetail, I have annexed heretoasheet of dra\vings,wherein Figure 1 is asectional elevation of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetail View of a beater or disintegrator. Fig. 3 is an end View of Fig.2, and Figs. etand 5 are de tail views showing the pear-shaped openingsin the blades.

In the drawings the letter A indicates a circular receptacle wherein theclay is beaten with water, broken up, and formed into a creamy mass,theclay beingprimarily dumped into an adjacent hopperB, from the bottom ofwhich a chute 1) leads into the lower portion of receptacle A. Ipreferably provide a spiral conveyer 1) within chute Z) to facilitatethe downward passage of the clay, said spiral couveyerbein g rotated bypower. W'ater is introduced through the same channel together with theclay, the supplythereof being suitably regulated.

0 indicates a vertical shaft located within receptacle A and extendingto near the base thereof. The said shaft is provided with a bevel-gear cat its upper end,where it is rotatably supported in bearings formed in acrosshead 0, and a corresponding bearing is provided in a transverse bar0 arranged near the lower end of the shaft. A drive-shaft D,"communicating with a source of power, (not shown,) is mounted inbearings l, which are supported upon the cross-head c, and termi- Datesin a bevel-gear 0 which latter meshes with the gear a, as seen. v

Secured upon the shaft 0 and adapted to rotate therewith are a series ofcircularlyacting paddles or heaters E, arranged at suitable intervalsapart to render efficient service.

The construction of these paddles or beaters is more clearly shown inthe enlarged views of Figs. 2 and 3. As seen, each composed of theoppositely extending blades e e, the set of said blades having oppositeinclinations, and said blades having approximately pear shaped angularapertures e therein to throw the center and upwardly withoutbreaking upthe sand particles. The rotation of the inclined paddles or heatersbreaks up the clay, mixes the water withit until in the form of a creamythe upper portion of the receptacle A. The elevated mass of clay andwater passes off through an elongated spout a, falling into a vessel F,arranged to receive it. As this vessel fills the heavier foreignparticles natu- 7o rally remain at the bottom and the clayey mass againpasses otf through an elongated spout f, falling thence into a secondvessel G, which latter has an elongated overflow-spout g, permitting themass to fall smoothly into 75 a trough H. The spouts a, f, positing thefluid mass gently at low points in the respective vent disturbance ofthe body therein, and thus cles to settle and remain undisturbed at thebottom thereof. Said trough H is of considerable length and may bearranged in a suitable manner to economize space. It is and g by deandsmoothly receivers preof the mass necessary for the fluid clay totraverse a cer- 85 tain length of trough in the process of eliminatingthe impurities, although such length is greatly diminished by the use ofmy appa ratus, and to aid the operation I place rifiles, as H, tocollect the sand, and the mica, which latter element it is ordinarily adifficult matter to remove from kaolin. My rifiies are boards pivoted orhinged at their upper ends to the sides of the trough, as seen at h,whereby they may be raised to flush the 95 trough in cleaning it out,stops 7L2 being provided to hold the riffles in operative position.Alternating the ritl'les H along the trough course are the bridges 7L,-Wl1l(3l1 extend downwardly to a point below the upperends of the ICCrifiies, said bridges being provided with the horizontally-extendingplatforms 71 To operate the riflles H, I provide extensions 7L5 thereforand connect same pivotally with a paddle is the broken-up mass towardfluid mass, and elevates said mass to permit the heavierpartiparticularly 9o common horizontal bar 2, said bar itself beingpivotally connected to an operating-lever i, which latter is fulcrumedat 11 By the operation of lever 71 the riffles H may all besimultaneously elevated or lowered, as desired. It will be understoodthat the liquid mass passing rapidly alongthe trough after surmounting ariffie in its path impinges against a bridge 72, and the under side ofits extension h, and the impact and depressing effect causes the heavierparticles, such as the mica and grit, to descend to the bottom of thetrough, where they are caught and held by the next riffie met with. Theclaywater runs into filter-presses and is subsequently dried out in theusual manner.

A indicates a manhole in the receptacle A for cleaning out the latterand having a suitable cover A A indicates a valved nozzle arranged nearthe bottom of receptacle A and intended for service in drawing off thefluid mass when the apparatus has stopped working.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim is- 1. Ina clay-separating apparatus, in combination, a beating-engine, and atrough leading from said beating-engine in the path of the beatenproduct, said trough having a series of pivoted riffles, stops therefor,and a series of impact-bridges alternating therewith; together with aconnector between said riffles, and a lever whereby said rifides may besimultaneously raised or lowered.

2. In a clay-separating apparatus, in combination, a beating-engineconsisting of a cylinder having a feed-opening near its base, a verticalshaft rotat'ably supported in said cylinder, a series of heaters orpaddles carried by said shaft, means for rotating the latter, and anoverflow-spout for said cylinder; the said boaters or paddles being setin horizontal pairs at opposite inclinations, and each beater or paddlehaving a series of approximately pear-shaped angular apertures thereinarranged to throw the beaten mass upwardly toward the center of thecylinder without breaking up the particles.

In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEO. D. SNYDER.

\Nitnesses:

CHAs. S. LONGHURST, WALTER J. CAREY.

